Sexual Abuse Allegations at Immaculate Heart Academy
Bergen County, New Jersey
Founded:1960
Location: Township of Washington, New Jersey
Grades: 9 through 12
Originally founded in 1960, Immaculate Heart Academy was the first regional high school for girls in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. It is now an independent day school that educates high school level girls from 9th to 12th grade. It has an average enrollment of approximately 700 students and about 70 classroom teachers.
In 2003, sexual abuse allegations were made against a nun who was working at Immaculate Heart Academy. The victim alleged that Sister Linda Cusano raped her several times over her years of attending the academy. The victim was 17 at the time of the abuse and said the abuse occurred between September 1991 and May 1992. A civil lawsuit was filed against the school and Sister Linda Cusano. It eventually was settled. The ex-nun is now listed as being deceased.
In May 2012, a softball coach at Wood-Ridge High School in Bergen County was accused of having sex with an underage boy. Coach Jillian Clementi was also a history teacher at Immaculate Heart Academy, but has since been suspended from the school due to the allegations. Clementi had been teaching at the school since 2008. She was later charged criminally with 2nd-degree sexual assault and 2nd-degree endangerment of the welfare of a child.
Horowitz Law is a law firm representing victims and survivors of sexual abuse in New Jersey. If you need a sexual abuse lawyer because you were sexually abused in New Jersey, contact our office today. Although many years have passed, those sexually abused by teachers, coaches, and administrators in New Jersey private schools now have legal options to get justice and compensation, but filing deadlines will apply so do not delay in reaching out to us. Our law firm offers free consultations and always works on a contingency basis.
Contact us at (954) 641-2100 or adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com to discuss your case today.